Rooster with swollen face

[mandarin1]

I think Kathy and others have had to remove canker growths if they are too big. They can bleed a lot from what I have read. Canker invades the esophagus and crop wall, besides the beak and tongue. Be sure to disinfect your feeders and waterers with something like 10% bleach water, and prevent pigeons and wild birds from using feeders and waterers.

I don't think the growths are big enough to block him from being able to eat or drink, but more just irritating for him right now. (He's kind of shaking his head and occasionally making a gulping motion) I will try and get a better look down his throat and see if any needs to be removed if it's in the way of his throat, he doesn't like to cooperate too well when messing with his beak. I did disinfect feeders and watered today and figured I'd do that daily for as long as treatment lasts. It's very difficult to keep wild birds (particularly sparrows) out of the waterers. My chicken run is made of chain link fencing that connects to the hen house and then obviously when I turn them out the wild birds get in their outdoor waterers. I'm going to start implementing the copper sulphate once a month as a preventative since I do have such a hard time keeping wild birds out of it.

 

[mandarin1]

So he's been on the Aquazole and he still has the growths inside his mouth (haven't gotten worse or better) but the swelling on his face seems to be getting worse since this morning. It has stayed about the same all this time until this evening when I went to check on him for the last time. He is still eating and drinking. I put his medication mixed with water and that's the only water he has access to. Any ideas what this swelling could be? Should I just give him a Benadryl? Thank you!

 

[Eggcessive]

I haven’t dealt with canker before as some here have, but since canker can invade the walls of the esophagus and crop, that could be the cause of the swelling if nothing else is happening. If you use Benadryl for a possible sting causing the swelling use it only once, and you can give half of 25mg tablet.

 

[mandarin1]

I haven’t dealt with canker before as some here have, but since canker can invade the walls of the esophagus and crop, that could be the cause of the swelling if nothing else is happening. If you use Benadryl for a possible sting causing the swelling use it only once, and you can give half of 25mg tablet.

Ok, I suppose I'll try that to try and see if it will take some of the swelling down to make him more comfortable. I'm not sure that it was a sting since he's had the swelling this whole time, but I figured at this point it can't hurt to try. Should I continue with the Aquazole a bit longer or is there any other meds that work on this?

 

[Eggcessive]

I think for pigeons the metronidazole (aquazole) can be given for 5-7 days. Aspirin an anti-inflammatory which might also help with swelling 81 mg once or twice a day given orally for 2-3 days.

 

[mandarin1]

I think for pigeons the metronidazole (aquazole) can be given for 5-7 days. Aspirin an anti-inflammatory which might also help with swelling 81 mg once or twice a day given orally for 2-3 days.

Okay I will try some aspirin as well. I'm almost wondering if this could be wet fowl pox since it's not getting any better. Does that also cause a bad odor?

 

[mandarin1]

I think for pigeons the metronidazole (aquazole) can be given for 5-7 days. Aspirin an anti-inflammatory which might also help with swelling 81 mg once or twice a day given orally for 2-3 days.

Okay I will try some aspirin as well. I'm almost wondering if this could be wet fowl pox since it's not getting any better. Does that also cause a bad odor?

 

[Eggcessive]

I haven’t dealt with wet fowl pox, but I don’t think it is known for causing the bad odor as canker does. Do you have a lot of wild birds or pigeons who come around your feeders or waterers? That is how canker normally spreads. If you haven’t seen the scabs of dry fowl pox, it probably is not pox.

 

[mandarin1]

I haven’t dealt with wet fowl pox, but I don’t think it is known for causing the bad odor as canker does. Do you have a lot of wild birds or pigeons who come around your feeders or waterers? That is how canker normally spreads. If you haven’t seen the scabs of dry fowl pox, it probably is not pox.

No, I haven't seen any scabs or anything, just the facial swelling and the yellow lesions inside his mouth. The swelling has me perplexed bc everything I've seen on canker doesn't really say anything about facial swelling, just the lesions and odor. I would have thought the medication would've been showing improvement in him by now. I do have issues with wild birds getting in their waterers. My run in is made of chain link fence and of course their outdoor waterers when they get turned out get frequent wild birds visiting them.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

No, I haven't seen any scabs or anything, just the facial swelling and the yellow lesions inside his mouth. The swelling has me perplexed bc everything I've seen on canker doesn't really say anything about facial swelling, just the lesions and odor. I would have thought the medication would've been showing improvement in him by now. I do have issues with wild birds getting in their waterers. My run in is made of chain link fence and of course their outdoor waterers when they get turned out get frequent wild birds visiting them.

Look at the photo below. See how the canker is invading below the tongue and filling the cavity underneath. I bet there is a "pocket" of infection under there that is causing all that swelling.




https://www.chickenvet.co.uk/news/post/a-review-of-oral-lesions-in-backyard-chickens